Method for making golf balls



f J. M. OLDHAM ,METH'OD'FOR MAKING GOLF BALLS April 6, 1937.

Filed Nov. 15, 1953 INVENTOR (fa/20 P7 /c///a -131/ 612 z Arffgl lPatented Arpr. 6 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,076,412 METHOD FORMAKING GOLF BALLS John M. Oldham, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Leonard A.Young, Detroit, Mich. i

Application November 13, 1933, Serial No. 697,7'70' 4 Claims. (01.18-59) The main objects of this invention are: ing inlet portions I2 inthe flange 9 of the sec- First, to provide a method for covering golftion 7. These sprue passages 10 are disposed in may be molded upon thebody as a plastic comcally opposed pairs. The sections 6 and 1 have 5position, being very intimately bound thereto. central bosses l3. Thesebosses I3 have sprue Second, to provide a method of making golf passagesM therein with lateral inlet openings,

having a desired surface configuration. relation relative to the spruepassages II. These 10 Third, to provide an efiicient apparatus for spruepassages have conical mouths adapted to practicing the method. receivethe conical nozzles l5 which are all pref- Objects relating to detailsand economies of erably connected to a comm n Source f coatin 15 out inthe claims, is provided with a plurality of small vent open A structurewhich is a preferred embodiment ings l1 located at 90 angular relationrelative of my invention is illustrated in the accompany-' to each otherand centrally relative to the ading drawing, in which: jacent sprueopenings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a golf ball produced The body is placedwithin the spherical mold 20 by my improved method, only a fragment ofthe loosely; that is, it is free to center itself therein surfaceconfiguration being illustrated. under the action of the coatingcomposition Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a golf ball body which isintroduced simultaneously through all illustrating one of the steps ofmy method. the sprue holes, and this and the venting causes section online 44 of Fig. 5, the source of coatfamiliar.

; ing composition being conventionally illustrated. The coatingcomposition is preferably of a Fig. 5 is a plan view with the coatinginjecting character that does not require the application nozzlesomitted. of heat after it is introduced into the mold, but

In the accompanying drawing, see particularly it W111 be understood thatit is introduced into illustrated being that shown in the application isindicated in the drawing.

0f Leonard A. Young, Serial No. 677,471, filed My improved methodresults in golf balls of June 24,L1933. It should be understood,however, long and accurate flight. The coating composithat my method andapparatus is adapted for tion may be of uniform color; that is, thecomcoating or covering golf ball bodies which do not position is of thedesired color. Various coating have the feature of the fibrousnon-elastic strand compositions may be used.

; winding 3, it being the common commercial prac- I have used certaintypes of resinous compositice at the present time to apply thepre-molded tions as disclosed in the said application of Young shelldirectly to the elastic strand winding of the andalso balatacompositions of the general type body, of those now used in pre-formedor molded golf The apparatus shown in Figs. 4 and 5 comball shells whichare commonly applied to the prises a mold consisting of thecomplementary bodies in pro-formed condition by means ofmoldhemi-spherlcal sections 6 and 1 having coacting ing under heat andpressure. flanges 8 and 9 respectively, detachably secured I have notillustrated the mold as provided together by means of the bolts l0.These flanges with heating means. It will be understood that havecoacting grooves in their meeting faces prowith certain compositionsheating of the mold is vidlng sprue passages H, the sprue passages havofadvantage and that the mold may be heated by various means, such assteam or electricity, for example, but as such heating means forms nopart of the invention I have not illustrated the same herein. It shouldalso be understood 5 that certain coating compositions are renderedfluid by heat and at present I prefer such a composition rather than onewhich is rendered fluid or plastic by solvents as the presence ofsolvents introduces a problem of evaporating the solvents without injuryto the coating. The plasticity or fluidity of the coating compositionshould be such that under pressure it may be introduced into the moldand forced by the pressure into close binding engagement and adhesionwith the surface strands of the body, and when the body is wound withfibrous strands there is a measure of penetrating engagement.

I have not attempted to illlustrate certain modifications in theapparatus which I contemplate as it is believed that this disclosurewill enable those skilled in the art to efficiently practice myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of making golf balls consisting of placing a sphericalbody within a spherical opposed pairs mold, the body being free to floatwithin the mold, and simultaneously injecting a coating compositionthrough a plurality of pairs of opposed sprue holes, the mold having aplurality of vent openings uniformly spaced relative to the sprue holes.

2. The method of making golf balls consisting of placing a sphericalbody within a spherical mold. The body being free to float within themold, and simultaneously injecting a coating composition through aplurality of pairs of opposed sprue holes.

3. The method of making golf balls consisting of forming a sphericalbody, placing the body in a sectional spherical mold having a pluralityof of sprue holes and a plurality of vent openings, the body being freeto center itself within the mold, and simultaneously injecting into thesprue holes a shell or coating composition in plastic condition.

4. The method of making balls which comprises the step of simultaneouslyinjecting a coating composition through sprue holes in a mold containinga body free to center itself within the mold under the centering forcesof the injected coating composition.

, JOHN M. OLDHAM.

